Hide and Shriek | |
---|---|
Directed by | Gordon Douglas |
Produced by | Hal Roach |
Cinematography | Norbert Brodine |
Edited by | William H. Ziegler |
Music by | Leroy Shield |
Distributed by | MGM |
Release date |
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Running time | 10 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Hide and Shriek is a 1938 Our Gang short film directed by Gordon Douglas. It was the 168th Our Gang entry in the series, and the last to involve series creator Hal Roach. [1]
The film is a comedy mystery, about a private detective investigating a case about stolen candy. The detective and his two assistants follow two suspects into an amusement park. The trio are trapped in haunted house attraction, and are scared by the fake ghosts and monsters of the attraction.
Opening his own detective agency, Alfalfa dons a deerstalker cap and rechristens himself "X-10, Sooper Sleuth." His first assignment: to find out who stole a box of candy from Darla. Suspecting that Leonard and Junior are the alleged culprits, Alfalfa and his chief (and only) operatives Buckwheat and Porky put a tail on the two youngsters. Unfortunately, the three junior gumshoes are sidetracked to a seaside amusement pier, where they find themselves trapped in a haunted house attraction.
Darla eventually discovers her candy was right where she left it—in her doll carriage. But it is too late: scared out of their wits by various ersatz ghosts, monsters and spooky moans and groans, the trio vow to give up the detective business forever (as Alfalfa's "Out of Bizzness" sign on the door notes). [2]
Hide and Shriek was the final entry in producer Hal Roach's Our Gang series and the last short film released overall by the studio. [3] Roach was contracted to produce one more year's worth of Our Gang shorts for MGM, but his distribution deal with other properties expired earlier that year. Roach switched to another studio, United Artists, to distribute his feature films. Our Gang was his only remaining short subject series. As a result, MGM opted to purchase the unit outright, as Our Gang was still popular and MGM wanted to keep the series in production. [3]
Upon arrival at MGM, Our Gang would continue in production until 1944. The MGM entires are considered by several critics, and the Our Gang actors themselves, as lesser entries compared to the Roach shorts. [3]
Bored of Education is a 1936 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Gordon Douglas. Produced by Hal Roach and released to theaters by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, it was the 146th entry in the Our Gang series to be released.
Eugene Gordon Lee was an American child actor, most notable for appearing in the Our Gang comedies as Porky from 1935 to 1939. During his tenure in Our Gang, Porky originated the catchphrase "O-tay!", though it is commonly attributed to fellow character Buckwheat, played by Billie "Buckwheat" Thomas.
The following is a complete list of the 220 Our Gang short films produced by Hal Roach Studios and/or Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer between 1922 and 1944, numbered by order of release along with production order.
Alfalfa's Aunt is a 1939 comedy short subject, the 176th entry in the Our Gang series originally created by Hal Roach. Produced by Jack Chertok for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and directed by George Sidney, the one-reel short was released to theaters in January 1939 by MGM.
Our Gang is an American series of comedy short films chronicling a group of poor neighborhood children and their adventures. Created by film producer Hal Roach, also the producer of the Laurel and Hardy films, Our Gang shorts were produced from 1922 to 1944, spanning the silent film and early sound film periods of American cinema. Our Gang is noted for showing children behaving in a relatively natural way; Roach and original director Robert F. McGowan worked to film the unaffected, raw nuances apparent in regular children, rather than have them imitate adult acting styles. The series also broke new ground by portraying white and black children interacting as equals during the Jim Crow era of racial segregation in the United States.
Our Gang Follies of 1938 is a 1937 American musical short subject, the 161st short subject entry in Hal Roach's Our Gang series. Directed by Gordon Douglas as a sequel to 1935's Our Gang Follies of 1936, the two-reel short was released to theaters on December 18, 1937, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
Our Gang Follies of 1936 is a 1935 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Gus Meins. Produced by Hal Roach and released to theaters by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, it was the 140th Our Gang short to be released and the first of several musical entries in the series.
Pay as You Exit is a 1936 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Gordon Douglas. It was the 148th Our Gang short to be released.
Roamin' Holiday is a 1937 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Gordon Douglas. It was the 155th Our Gang short to be released.
Framing Youth is a 1937 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Gordon Douglas. It was the 158th Our Gang short to be released.
Mail and Female is a 1937 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Fred C. Newmeyer. It was the 160th Our Gang short to be released.
Came the Brawn is a 1938 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Gordon Douglas. Produced by Hal Roach and released to theaters by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, it was the 165th entry in the Our Gang series.
Feed 'em and Weep is a 1938 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Gordon Douglas. It was the 166th Our Gang short to be released.
The Little Ranger is a 1938 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Gordon Douglas. It was the 169th short in the Our Gang series, and the first produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, who purchased the rights to the series from creator Hal Roach.
Party Fever is a 1938 Our Gang short comedy film directed by George Sidney. It was the 170th Our Gang short to be released.
Aladdin's Lantern is a 1938 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Gordon Douglas. It was the 171st Our Gang short to be released.
Men in Fright is a 1938 Our Gang short comedy film directed by George Sidney. Produced and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, it was the 172nd Our Gang short to be released.
Tiny Troubles is a 1939 Our Gang short comedy film directed by George Sidney. It was the 176th Our Gang short to be released.
Clown Princes is a 1939 Our Gang short comedy film directed by George Sidney. Produced and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, it was the 178th Our Gang short to be released.
Auto Antics is a 1939 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Edward Cahn. It was the 182nd Our Gang short to be released.